From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

On this 27th Sunday of ordinary time, the holy mother church invites us to reflect on one of the most important Christian and theological virtues – Faith. It is the foundation of our Christian life. Faith gives us a new vision and version of life. Without faith, we see only the ugly and dark side of life. Without faith, we remain helpless and we are slaves to despair and hopelessness. Faith liberates us and helps us to see the power and love of God at work in our lives.

In the first reading of this Sunday, the church reminds us of this famous verse from the book of Habakkuk, “The just shall live by his faithfulness.” As human beings, at times in life, we find ourselves in the shoes of the prophet Habakkuk. We find ourselves helpless, and everything goes dark, and hope appears hopeless to us. It is part of the process of Christian growth and maturity.

The good news is that God will not fail us if we remain faithful during such moments. He will break his silence at his appropriate time to reassure us that he is there for us. Through these words, “The just shall live by his faithfulness,” God encourages us to remain faithful in good deeds and actions. This faith in question is saving faith. The Just here is the one who still perseveres in good deeds. He is the one who still trusts in the saving power of God. He is the one who still prays to God.

In the second reading, Paul strikes the same note by admonishing us thus: “Fan into flame the gift that God gave you. Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from us, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” Here, the Apostle calls us to action. He awakens us to realize who we are. He reminds us of the power of God at work in us through the sound teachings we have received. He encourages us to preserve the faith (the sound doctrine) we have received from God through the Holy Spirit and His apostles. Hence, this simply reminds us that our journey is a journey of faith. This faith must be constantly questioned and also called into action. We must live this faith through our steadfastness and perseverance. This faith must be demonstrated through actions because: “Faith without action is dead” (James 2:26).

So, the type of faith we are talking about here is not the type that is blind and always asleep. No, it is the faith that sees good opportunities and takes advantage of them. It is not like the faith that most of us preach today that suggests that we should go to sleep every second and expect God to assume our responsibilities and solve all our problems. On the contrary, it is faith that moves us into action.

In today’s gospel, the Apostles of Christ remind us of what we should be praying for each day. That is, praying to Christ: “Lord increase our faith.” Their humility and acceptance of their lack equally remind us of the importance of faith in our Christian life and journey. Our Catholic faith, above all, calls for a continuous response to God’s never-ending call, a daily personal self-giving which presupposes an ever growing intimate and loving relationship with the Person of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through frequent constant dealings to know Him more through prayer, sacraments, and interior struggles so as to be able to love Him more and imitate His life. Thus, authentic Christian faith is called to grow and reach its culmination in the identification of the Christian with Christ, through the action of the Holy Spirit and man’s daily correspondence with God’s grace.

Faith is a way of life, and thus, it should not be relegated to the private sphere of man’s life, nor be reduced to mere ideas or sentiments. Rather, we need to be courageous in living our faith coherently in every moment and circumstance of our daily life. In the second reading today, St. Paul said: “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.” We must not allow ourselves to be swallowed by a worldly, godless society. We must not be contented to be mere Sunday Catholics. Rather, our condition as Catholics, as baptized Christians, should be made manifest in all that we do and wherever we are: coherent Christians!

In order to live our Catholic faith with courage and coherence, we need God’s grace. This is the reason why it is necessary to ask Our Lord frequently for the gift of faith, which only grows when God infuses this divine virtue in our soul. This we see in today’s gospel when the Apostles pleaded to Our Lord: “Increase our faith!” Furthermore, a man who really believes in God, in Jesus and in His Church; who fully trusts in God’s Will and Wisdom and truly abandons himself into God’s Hands, has an unshakeable optimism and firm serenity especially when he finds himself in difficult circumstances, for faith in God makes us omnipotent as well! This is the reason why Our Lord said: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

How many times have we succumbed to discouragement, anxiety and sadness because we have not trusted in God who knows most and best for each one of us! How many times have we recovered peace and serenity when we rectify and put our problems and fate in God’s hands! And how many times have we realized after overcoming the trials in our life that God had not abandoned us and had helped us weather countless difficulties!

Dear Family, let us frequently make acts of faith by asking Our Lord: “increase our faith!” but not only faith, hope and love as well so as to be able to live as firm, faithful and coherent Christians in love with God, with His Son, His Church and with our Catholic faith.

As I announced it last Sunday, this past October 1st, our Patron Saint, St. Katharine Drexel, celebrated her 25th anniversary of canonization. It was on October 1st, 2000 that St. John Paul II canonized the second saint born in the United States. The process of her canonization began in 1988 with the investigation of the miracles attributed to her intercession, the healing of Robert Gutherman’s eardrum and Amy Wall’s deafness. St. Katharine Drexel’s legacy continues to inspire and serve as a model of racial justice and philanthropy.

Though her intercession, let us be One Body, One Spirit, One Family! Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Michael the Archangel, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Charbel and St. José Gregorio Hernández, pray for us.

Yours in Christ Jesus!
Fr. Omar